Sheffield man to run half marathon to raise cash for hospital which treated his son

A father is taking part in a half marathon to give back to a Sheffield hospital that treated his son after he was involved in a skiing accident in Austria.

Ian Stocks will join hundreds of runners at the Plusnet Yorkshire Half Marathon on April 12 to raise money for The Children’s Hospital Charity.

Ian’s son, Matt, was injured after skiing off the side of a 15,000ft mountain.

He was saved from falling down a vertical drop after hitting a tree, but shattered his arm in several places.

Matt was air lifted to The Children’s Hospital in Sheffield where doctors operated.

Ian said: “So many kids are looked after at The Children’s Hospital in Sheffield. I was one of them many years back and now a member of my own family has been nursed from very poorly back to full health.

“In order to provide these services, which go above and beyond standard NHS provision, the hospital and the charity need our help.”

On Matt’s arrival at the hospital, doctors recommended a new procedure which would manipulate his bones back into position through his skin under general anaesthetic, rather than conventional open surgery to pin Matt’s bones into place.

Ian said: “Although it was a new treatment that hadn’t been tried before, we were reassured by the doctors, and the conventional open surgery would have left Matt with bigger scars.

“There are also more risks associated with invasive surgery, especially with nerves and tendons in such close proximity to bone fragments.

“The standard of care was incredible and nothing was too much trouble even though the wards were very busy.

“His operation went smoothly and his recovery was quite remarkable.

“It was in no doubt down to the skills of the surgeons who minimised the surgery necessary to line his bones back up.”

To sponsor Ian, one of 250 runners taking part in the half marathon for The Children’s Hospital Charity, visit www.justgiving.com/Ian-Stocks1